1. Field of the invention
The present invention concerns a bottle with a rounded bottom fitted with a base and especially bottles of this kind intended to be subjected to pasteurization, deep-freezing and like processing using a heat-exchange fluid.
Such bottles are specifically designed for use in the foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, industrial and like domains.
2. Description of the prior art
The bases usually used in association with round-bottomed bottles enable them to remain stable when stood on a support.
However, when a bottle of this kind contains a fluid to be pasteurized, there is observed during the pasteurization process a difference in temperature between the liquid in the part of the bottle above the base and the liquid in the part of the bottle surrounded by the base. The base acts as a insulator at the bottom of the container and the fluid at this level does not receive the same quantity of heat from a heat exchange fluid as that in the part of the bottle above the base. This constitutes a major disadvantage when such bottles are pasteurized because it is then necessary to extend the heating and/or cooling period in such a way as to obtain the required temperature. This entails the expenditure of additional energy and the overall cost of the operation is thereby significantly increased.
The objective of the present invention is to alleviate this disadvantage by providing a bottle provided with a passage for heat exchange fluid between the bottle and its base so as to improve the transfer of heat between the heat exchange fluid and the liquid contained in the bottle and especially the liquid in the part of the bottle surrounded by the base.